Popular indie game storefrontItch.iohas delisted all adult (NSFW) games from its search and browse pages following a sudden policy shift driven by its payment processing partners. This follows a similar move bySteam, with Itch.io stating that the decision is necessary to ensure the platform’s continued ability to process transactions for developers.
Adult content in gaming has been under increased scrutiny by credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard in recent memory. In the past few years, platforms such asSteam have been pressured into adopting stricter content moderation policiesby these companies due to concerns over fraudulent charges, legal liabilities, and reputational risk. The latest flashpoint was a campaign led by Australian advocacy group Collective Shout, which targeted games on both Steam and Itch.io that featured graphic and disturbing sexual content.
At the center of the controversy was a depraved game dubbedNo Mercy, which depicted acts of sexual violence. It waspromptly removed from Steamearlier this year, but became the rallying cry for Collective Shout’s campaign, which sought to pressure payment processors to cut ties with any storefront hosting similar content. Now,Itch.io has responded to the demands by de-indexing all NSFW content from public pages, stating that the “situation developed rapidly” and left the platform no time to notify creators in advance.
Itch.io is Implementing New Content Rules to Better Comply With Payment Processor Guidelines
In anofficial statement, Itch.io confirmed that a full audit of its content is now underway. Adult games remain accessible via direct links, but creators must soon adhere to new compliance rules confirming that their content meets payment processor guidelines. Even games like theaward-winningConsume Me, which explored themes like eating disorders and gendered societal pressure, have been impacted by the blanket removals. Itch.io admits some games will be permanently delisted as part of this review, though it emphasizes that maintaining its ability to process payments is vital for supporting indie developers.
Our ability to process payments is critical for every creator on our platform. To ensure that we can continue to operate and provide a marketplace for all developers, we must prioritize our relationship with our payment partners and take immediate steps towards compliance.
However, a lot of indie devs - particularly queer creators and those telling personal, often difficult stories - have expressed concerns about Itch.io’s sudden policy change. While it’s true that preventing genuinely harmful content likeNo Mercyshould be a top priority, the sweeping delisting of anything flagged as “NSFW” risks silencing meaningful and nuanced work. In trying to appease corporate partners, Itch.io andSteam might well be echoing a long history of censorshipand moral panic, where the guise of “protecting users” is used to suppress challenging or non-mainstream voices.
